Biography

Ricardo René Larémont is a political scientist and sociologist who serves as a professor at Binghamton University (State University of New York). He specializes in Islamic politics, Islamic law, conflict resolution, and democratization, with a regional focus on North Africa and the Sahel.

Larémont earned a B.A. in Political Science from New York University (1976), a J.D. from NYU School of Law (1979), and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Yale University (1995). He began his academic career as a visiting assistant professor at Vassar College in 1995 and later served as Assistant Director of the Institute of African Studies at Columbia University. Since joining Binghamton University in 1997, he has held numerous leadership roles, including Associate Director of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies, Chair of the Sociology Department, and Interim Dean of Harpur College of Arts and Sciences.

His most recent book, Political Islam: Movements, Ideologies, and Governance in Comparative Perspective (Routledge, forthcoming), offers a comprehensive analysis of Islamist movements and governance models across the Muslim world. His other major publications include:

  • Islam and the Politics of Resistance in Algeria, 1783–1992

  • Islamic Law and Politics in Northern Nigeria

  • Revolution, Revolt, and Reform in North Africa: The Arab Spring and Beyond

  • Borders, Nationalism, and the African State

  • The Causes of War and the Consequences of Peacekeeping in Africa

Larémont has published in leading journals such as African SecurityThe Journal of the Middle East and Africa, and Stability: International Journal of Security & Development. He was named a Carnegie Corporation Scholar on Islam in 2007 and received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2001.

He is fluent in English, French, and Spanish, and has reading proficiency in Arabic and Italian.

Education

Yale University, Ph.D., Political Science, 1995

New York University Law School, J.D., 1979

New York University School of Arts & Sciences, B.A., cum laude, 1976